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South African Judge Richard Goldstone, who alleged that the IDF operation into Gaza in 2009 may have committed 'crimes against humanity', has now recanted. In an article published in the Washington Post, Goldstone has written that the IDF did not intentionally target Palestinian civilians. Israel refused to cooperate with the Goldstone inquiry because it was orchestrated by the pro- Arab Human Rights Council of the U.N., which even Goldstone admits has always been biased against Israel. In reaction, Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has declared: 'The Goldstone Report should be thrown into the trash bin of history and the UN should now retract it!' Defense Minister Ehud Barak called on Goldstone to present his new conclusions to the international bodies where he presented the report. Analyst David Essing says that while Goldstone's retraction has now set the record straight, Goldstone's initial vilification of Israel is but one example of the trend to smear Israel when it acts in self - defense such as countering terror attacks from Gaza or in the Mavi Marmara attempt to break the legal blockade of Gaza.

For over a week now, Israeli civilians along the Gaza border have been racing for their bomb shelters as early warning sirens warn that more Palestinian rockets have been fired at them from Palestinian terrorists. They've had enough and are demanding that the government put an end to it one way or the other. To date, the IDF has reacted by carrying out pin point air raids and ground fire at terror targets mainly trying to intercept the actual rocker launchers who fire from inside Palestinian populated areas. But to no avail. Meanwhile, there has also been an upsurge in terror attacks on the West Bank where the Palestinian Authority operates actively suppresses terrorism against Israel, rather than encouraging it. Analyst David Essing writes that Israel is now considering several options to solve the dilemma of how to force the terrorists in Gaza to cease their attacks without launching a major military operation into Gaza.

While Iran advances at full tilt on its nuclear weapons program, Tehran is also stepping up its subversion throughout the Middle East. The Israel Navy's interception of a major shipment of advanced missiles and other sophisticated weaponry to Gaza is but one tentacle of the Iranian octopus of terror and intervention aimed at imposing Iranian hegemony in the region. Analyst David Essing bases his assessment on two corners of the arena.

On the quiet Sabbath eve of March 11th, two Palestinian terrorists penetrated the Israeli settlement of Itamar on the West Bank and literally slaughtered five members of the Fogel family, including two young boys and a four month old baby girl. Israeli security forces have mounted a manhunt for the killers while also deploying to prevent incensed settlers from retaliating against Palestinians. The atrocity now jeopardizes the relative quiet on the West Bank and prospects for any kind of progress in the peace process. Analyst David assesses some of the ramifications.

Faced with growing international isolation and strained relations with U.S., Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is now in the throes of formulating a new proposal for a Palestinian state. In an interview with Channel 1 TV, Likud Knesset Member Ofir Ecunis, a confidant of the Prime Minister has alluded to some key points. Earlier this week, Netanyahu startled his Likud caucus in the Knesset by declaring: 'Wake up, we can't break our heads against the wall by insisting on settlement building in areas designated for Palestinian state!' This week, Israeli security forces also fired with rubber bullets at violent settlers who tried to prevent the demolition of an illegal outpost on the West Bank.

Maj.Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, a senior adviser to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has warned that one lesson from Libya is that radical regimes such as Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Gen. Gilad noted that Muamar Kadafi had been forced to abandon his nuclear weapons project in the past, otherwise he would now be threatening to use them today against his opponents at home and abroad. IsraCast analyst David Essing reports on some of the issues now facing Israel.

At the end of the sabbath, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu welcomed Egypt's ruling Supreme Council pledge to honor all its international agreements including the peace treaty with Israel. Netanyahu praised the praised the peace agreement as serving the interests of both countries and a cornerstone of Middle East stability. As the monumental events unfolded, there was no telling what they would portend for Israel. While visiting the U.S., Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel must 'upgrade' its long term security while pushing for peace with both the Palestinians and its Arab neighbors. For the foreseeable future the Egyptian Army, that has served as an anchor of moderation that has resolved the crisis, will be running the country. David Essing assesses how Mubarak's departure is being viewed in Israel.

Israeli leaders and the IDF are closely monitoring the rioting across Egypt that is threatening to topple the regime of President Hosni Mubarak, Israel's closest ally in the Middle East. A former Israeli cabinet minister, who has been the closest Israeli official to Mubarak, has now warned that Israel must prepare for the post-Mubarak era. And Binyamin Ben Eliezer adds: 'I believe a new Egyptian regime will be more militant and radical Islamist'! Analyst David Essing has this assessment on how the tumult in Egypt is being viewed in Israel.

Maj.Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the new commander of IDF Intelligence Branch, has presented his first briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee. His main point was that Iran has the capability of producing a nuclear weapon within one to two years after its leadership takes a decision to 'break out' and dash for the bomb. IsraCast analyst David Essing says Kochavi, whose name is derived from the word for star in Hebrew, is indeed the rising star in the IDF, and committee members later said they were impressed by the incisiveness of the new intelligence chief.

In 1940, John F. Kennedy wrote a book on the rise of Nazi Germany entitled 'Why Europe Slept'. In 2006, Bruce Bawer described how radical Islam is destroying the West from within in his book 'While Europe Slept'. Now Yuval Diskin the chief of Israel's Shabak Security Service, has warned that the Palestinian Authority on the West Bank had launched a diplomatic war that it is winning against Israel. Analyst David Essing says Diskin pulled no punches when he briefed a closed door session of the Knesset's Foreign affairs & Defense Committee.

Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has reacted swiftly to the sudden upheaval in Tunisia and the threat of a new civil war in Lebanon, Israel's northern neighbor, where Hezballah, an Iranian proxy is threatening to take overall control of the state. The shock waves are still reverberating throughout the entire Middle East and are likely to do so for some time to come. Iraq was formerly the epicenter, now Tunisia the quiet state on the Mediterranean that welcomed Israeli tourists, has become a new focus of turmoil. Its tyrannical President Ben Ali was toppled by thousands of citizens who took to the streets ending his regime of twenty three years. Meanwhile 'Lebanon is Lebanon'. The Sunni-Shiite, Christian and Druze ethnic tensions have again escalated after a UN inquiry has found Hezbollah guilty of assassinating former Sunni Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Analyst David Essing has this assessment of how the recent developments may affect Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's strategic outlook.

At the latest Israeli cabinet meeting, when Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu personally thanked outgoing Mossad chief Meir Dagan, all the ministers rose to applaud. Although Mossad operations are never confirmed or denied, Dagan mounted a daring an effective campaign against Iran's nuclear weapons program during his unprecedented eight year tenure. Mossad operations have set back Iran's plans to acquire nuclear weapons for years, although there is still no sign the regime of ayatollahs are ready to halt the project, in spite of the economic sanctions that are hurting the country's economy. David Essing has this assessment of the man the Egyptian newspaper Al Aharam once called Israel's 'Superman'.

After two years of relative quiet along the Gaza-Israeli border, recent Palestinian attacks have seriously escalated the situation. In fact, it's only by chance that the area was not turned overnight into a major battle zone. At a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, IDF Chief Of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi disclosed that on Dec. 6th, Palestinian terrorists in Gaza fired a Kornet anti-tank missile across the border hitting an IDF tank. Fortunately, the missile did not explode inside the tank after penetrating its armor. IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi warned: "The situation with Gaza is tense and fragile and could turn explosive if fresh Palestinian attacks injure Israelis".

Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas show no signs of budging. U.S. envoys George Mitchell and Dennis Ross have returned to the Middle East in a new attempt to break the deadlock but Netanyahu rejects a new settlement moratorium while Abbas will not negotiate unless there is a new freeze. IsraCast analyst David Essing assesses the situation which has turned into a diplomatic war that Israel does not appear to be winning.

Ironically the latest WikiLeaks revelations, and there are more to come, may be of long-term benefit to Israel- that's the assessment of IsraCast analyst David Essing. The fact that Arab leaders have quietly been urging the U.S. to bomb Iran reveals a new strategic balance in the region - the Sunni Arab states are lining up against Shi'ite Iran that is seeking nuclear weapons to impose regional hegemony.

Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, the outgoing head of IDF intelligence,
has painted a somber picture of the various threats facing Israel today.
In his last briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense
Committee, Gen. Yadlin disclosed that Russia has been supplying Syria
with some its most advanced anti-aircraft missiles while Iran is
building two new nuclear sites while advancing full steam ahead on its
nuclear weapons program, despite the latest round of sanctions passed by
the UN Security Council. And the relative quiet with Hezbollah in
Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza is deceiving in more ways than one.

After Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili has announced that Tehran is now ready to resume nuclear talks with the P5+1, what are the prospects? None according to Menashe Amir, an Israeli expert on Iran. Amir told IsraCast there was no possibility that Iran would halt its nuclear weapons program unless the international community was prepared to adopt more drastic steps to deter the Iranians. Interviewed by David Essing, Amir explained how 'the bomb' plays a crucial role in Iran's grand design for regional and international domination something that is misunderstood by some foreign commentators who either view Iran as a 'paper tiger' or preach 'the need to live with an Iranian bomb'.

Was there a connection between the Lebanese visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad and the rescue operation of the trapped 33 miners in Chile? Menashe Amir, an Israeli expert on Iran, told IsraCast that Ahmadenijad had planned his trip to Lebanon to heighten tension with Israel and capture international headlines. However, Iranian officials back home in Tehran were peeved that the rescue mission upstaged Ahmadenijad! But if the Iranian leader failed to persuade the Lebanese leadership to follow Hezbullah into the Iranian web of influence, he did demonstrate a strong show of support for Hezbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. IDF Gen.(res.) Yaacov Amidror believes Tehran will keep tight rein on Hezbullah for retaliation against Israel if Iran's nuclear sites are attacked.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu continues to agonize over what to do about U.S. President Barack Obama's demand that Israel extend the settlement freeze in Judea & Samaria for another two months. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is sticking to his guns and refusing to carry on direct peace talks after the freeze expired on Sept.26th. The Arab League is scheduled to meet on Oct.8th to decide where it stands. Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmud Achmadenijad is due to visit Lebanon shortly in a demonstration of support for his Hezbollah surrogate forces and travel down to the Israeli border. IsraCast analyst David Essing sees a link between the issue of the settlement freeze and the Iranian nuclear threat.

There is still no solution in sight to the tug-of-war between Israel and the Palestinians over the expiry of Israel's self-imposed building freeze at Israeli settlements in Judea & Samaria (West Bank). The Israeli government says construction will be resumed after the Sept.26th deadline - if it is, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatens to walk out of the current peace talks with Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The U.S. has been prodding Netanyahu to extend his 'building suspension' but the PM's Right-wing coalition colleagues are demanding that he keep his word to send the bulldozers back to work. Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi is preparing for 'all contingencies' including a possible renewed wave of Palestinian violence on the West Bank.